Shhhhh...did you hear that?

The word “heart” keeps coming up this week. Many of the readings I have been doing involve the word “heart”. They use phrases like “listening from the heart”, being “wild at heart”, and “one’s heart capacity”, “heart whispers”, etc. It seems a contemplative life is a heart-led life. Even science is seeing the importance of the heart over the head. This organ that beats in the background of our life also beats a special rhythm for our spiritual life.

As I reflect on this, I am beginning to see spiritual practices as ways of paying attention to the mystery that dwells in the heart. Practices awaken one to that still small voice, this spiritual rhythm that reminds us life sometimes doesn’t need to be figured out, but lived. The spiritual heart is often beating in whispers. The gift of a whisper is the intention it takes to hear. Everything else is blocked out for that moment. The heart wants each person to listen intently.

For myself, when I listen intently, my heart seems to relax and say, now given this information, go play and live. Then my mind has information on which to act and is led by this beautiful rhythm. If I hear my heart is broken I will honor that as I move through life. If I hear my heart sing for joy with the amazing gifts of God in Life, I will move through life that way. If I do not listen, that heartbeat of joy or grief still beats, yet it never connects with Life in an intentional way.

Each Tuesday and two Fridays in June and July are opportunities to gather and listen to one’s heart and the hearts of others. These will be times to pay attention to that beautiful mystery that beats every second of our lives. I hope you will be able to join us.